Head for a wire reel



Aug. 8, 1967 J. A. WILSON, JR. ET AL HEAD FOR A WIRE REEL Filed Oct. 14,1965 /2-. [2/

FIG!

FIG.3

' INVENTORS JOHN A. WILSON JR BYCHARLES M. vANdER .PYL

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,334,840 HEAD FOR A WIRE REEL John A.Wilson, Jr., Warwick, R.I., and Charles M. Vander Pyl, Attleboro, Mass,assignors to Wanskuck Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Oct.14, 1965, Ser. No. 495,852 7 Claims. (Cl. 242118.7)

This invention relates to a reel, more particularly the head of a reelwhich is adapted for receiving wire or other stranded material andprovides a shipping package for transporting wire from one place toanother.

The invention comprises a head at the end of the barrel portion of areel, the head being formed of a ring member of angle iron at the outerperiphery and a center bearing member at the center thereof withradially extending spokes between this outer peripheral member and thecenter member and with foam plastic material which is light in weightfilling the space between the spokes, the center member and the memberat the outer periphery. Also there is provided some smooth inner surfacefor the head which will be contacted by the wire which is assembledthereon.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a lightweight reelwhich may be utilized for shipping wire from one point to another and atsuch low cost that it may be thrown away after one use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive reel andyet one which will provide smooth surface contact with the wire and bestrong enough to withstand the uses to which it will be subjected.

Another object of the invention is to utilize a framework constructionand then filling in the framework to strengthen the structuresatisfactorily for the uses to which it is to be subjected.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the reel partly in section to show thestructure of the head;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the head;

FIG. 3 is a fragmental view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating amodified form of head; and

FIG. 4 is an end view of a still different modified form of head.

In proceeding with this invention, we provide heads for the ends of abarrel by bending angle iron to form a circular member at the peripheryof the head with a circular extending portion generally parallel to theaxis of the reel and a radially inwardly extending portion from thecircular portion. In the event that we provide two inwardly extendingportions from the circular portion, the peripheral member is in essencea channel formation in cross section. A center bearing member ofcylindrical or tubular form is at the center or middle portion of thehead, and radial spokes with their ends turned to provide securingflanges extend from this center member to the outer peripheral memberand are there secured by spot welding. This structure provides aframework which is filled with foam plastic to strengthen the head andyet permit it to be of light Weight. Further, the foam is either formedsmooth on the inner surface of the head by molding technique or theinner surface of the head is made smooth by a separate sheet which mayserve as a means to provide a support for the barrel which extendsbetween the heads.

With reference to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 and 2,designates generally a barrel having heads 11 at its opposite ends thatare mirror images of each other. Each head comprises an outer peripheral3,334,840 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 member 12 of angle iron or of rightangular formation in cross section as seen in FIG. 1 with a circularextending portion 14 providing a web extending generally parallel to theaxis of the reel and with a radially inwardly extending leg or portion15 extending at right angles thereto and in a plane at right angles tothe axis of the reel. A central cylindrical bearing member 17 is locatedto be co-axial with the axis of the reel and is supported from the outerperipheral member 12 by. a plurality of radially extending spokes 20each of which has a flange 21 at its outer end which is secured to thecircular extending portion 14 of the peripheral member 12 by spotwelding or some equivalent securing means, while at the inner end ofeach of these spokes there is a flange 22 which is shaped to extendalong the cylindrical member 17 and be secured thereto by spot weldingor any equivalent means. Each of these spokes is also provided withopenings 23 spaced along its extent as seen in FIG. 1.

A filling material 25 of an axial extent substantially that of the axialextent of the member 14 is located between the spokes 20 and extendingthrough the openings 23 so as to lock the plastic foam 25 in position.This plastic foam also extends to a point substantially flush with theinner surface of the radial portion 15 as at 26 as shown in FIG. 1,where it is either provided with a smooth surface for contacting thewire to be assembled on the barrel of the reel or there is provided athin sheet 30 of material such as paper, plastic, fiberglass mat,

metal, wood, or the like which is bonded to the foam portion 25 and tothe radially extending portion 15 of the outer peripheral member. Anopening 31 is provided in this sheet so that the reel may be supportedon some arbor for rotation on the bearing member 17. Shoulders 32 arebonded to the inner surface to support and locate the barrel 10 whenassembled with the head, although other locating means 32 may beprovided.

In FIG. 3 we have shown a-somewhat modified reel head where in additionto the radially extending portion 15 on the inner portion of the headthere is provided a radially extending portion 15' on the outer part ofthe member 12 so as to in effect provide an inwardly opening channelformation. Also in this embodiment the sheet material 30 is providedwith an integral molded offset portion 35 for the location of the barrel10. Otherwise, this figure illustrates the same structure as FIGS. 1 and2 although in this case the plastic material 26 extends out to be flushwith the outer surface of the radially extending portion 15'.

In some cases, however, instead of providing the spokes 20, U shapedspokes 40 (FIG. 4) may be provided having flanges 41 to contact thecircular extending portion 14 but having flanges 42 at their inner endsjoined so that the flanges 42 are common to two spokes 40. Otherwise,this formation of the reel would be the same as FIG. 1, and the foammaterial will be the same as shown in FIG. 1.

We claim:

1. A head for a reel comprising a peripheral rim with a circularlyextending portion and a radial portion extending therefrom and of onepiece therewith, a center tube and radial spokes with end flanges attheir outer ends secured to said rim and with flanges at their innerends secured to the center tube, a plastic filling between said spokesof substantially the axial dimension of said circularly extendingportion of said rim, the inner surface of said head having a smoothfacing.

2. A reel as in claim 1 wherein the outer flanges of said spokes aresecured to the circularly extending portion Of said rim.

3. A reel as in claim 1 wherein said spokes are webs in generally planesintersecting the axis of the head and are perforated with the fillingextending therough the spokes.

4. A reel as in claim 1 wherein the smooth facing is a separate membercontacting and secured to said rim.

5. A reel as in claim 1 wherein the smooth facing is a separate membercontacting and overlapping said radially extending portion of said rimand secured thereto.

6. A reel as in claim 1 wherein two of said spokes are of the same onepiece of material and their flanges at the inner ends engaging thecenter tube are common.

7. A reel as in claim 1 wherein said rim is channel shape with twospaced inwardly extending radial portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Mossberg 24277.3 Bureau 24277.3Jarmicki 24277.3

Steinback 242-1187

1. A HEAD FOR A REEL COMPRISING A PERIPHERAL RIM WITH A CIRCULARYEXTENDING PORTION AND A RADIAL PORTION EXTENDING THEREFROM AND OF ONEPIECE THEREWITH, A CENTER TUBE AND RADIAL SPOKES WITH END FLANGES ATTHEIR OUTER ENDS SECURED TO SAID RIM AND WITH FLANGES AT THEIR INNERENDS SECURED TO THE CENTER TUBE, A PLASTIC FILLING BETWEEN SAID SPOKESOF SUBSTANTIALLY THE AXIAL DIMENSION OF SAID CIRCULARLY EXTENDINGPORTION OF SAID RIM, THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID HEAD HAVING A SMOOTHFACING.